White & Wyckoff Mfg. Co.
Makers of Autocrat Stationery
Holyoke, Mass.February 25, 1910.
In your reply refer to E.N.W./M.
Miss Amy Hewes,
So. Hadley, Mass.My dear Miss Hewes:-
Your favor of even date is at hand.
I have no criticism to offer of Miss Olcott's work in our factory, and have discovered no weaknesses or shortcomings except those which are incident to inexperience. She has had to contend with a prejudice in some cases, for it is natural for a certain type of factory girls [sic] to look with suspicion upon any attempt to better their condition.
Our superintendent, who is more closely in touch with the actual workings of Miss Olcott's position, feels that while the girls accept all that is done for them, they accept it passively without being deeply influenced.
At the National Blank Book Co., I am told that there were two classes among the girls; one who accept Miss Olcott's services with some appreciation, and another who look upon the introduction of wellfare [sic] work as a direct intrusion upon their rights. As you undoubtedly know, the laboring classes, particularly those who are not over-intelligent, are very sensitive as to their social standing and resent any attempt to better their condition, feeling, I suppose, that the introduction of "wellfare work", so called, is an assumption that they are not as high up in the scale of human society as those who are attempting to benefit them. The experiment as tried with Miss Olcott, shows me more clearly than ever how exceedingly difficult it is to handle a problem of this kind.
Miss Olcott has suggested many admirable things for the benefit of our girls, some of which have been put into operation and we shall continue, and I do not feel that the experiment has been a failure. The conclusion that our company has reached is that the expense of maintaining the work is out of proportion to the results attained, the matter being viewed as an economic question rather than a charitable or philanthropic one.
I regret the newspaper notoriety of a few weeks ago, for it undoubtedly has changed the attitude of some of our girls toward Miss Olcott and her work. So far as I am personally concerned, it has not influenced my attitude, and I shall be only too glad to commend her for the intelligence, tact and sympathy she has shown to an unusual degree in her dealings with our employees.
Yours very truly,
Edward N. White